Spennymoor's fundraising campaign has got off to a good start. Moors are trying to raise funds to build a new clubhouse and they have already set several ideas in motion.

There are plans for a race night, a sportsmen's dinner and a sponsored walk, but other clubs are also helping out the Moors.

A bucket collection at the Brewery Field last Saturday for the home game with Harrogate raised £118, and after the game, Harrogate fans approached Moors and offered to carry out another collection at Harrogate tomorrow.

Moors secretary Brian Boughen also revealed: "A Harrogate fan won our golden goal competition, and then gave £20 of his winnings back to the club.

"Both gestures have been really great, and we can't thank Harrogate enough."

Meanwhile, Moors are inviting fans to travel on the team bus to Droylsden on Saturday, at a cost of £10 each, fans should turn up at the Brewery Field for 10.30am tomorrow morning.

Local Heroes will carry details of fundraising events organised by Moors in the forthcoming weeks.

Meanwhile, manager Tony Lee has signed three new players as they prepare for Saturday's tough away game at Droylsden.

Nothing much has gone right for Moors in recent weeks, and the gloom increased when they were thumped 5-1 at home by Harrogate on Saturday to leave them in 17th place, four places adrift of the promotion spots.

Lee is acutely aware that Moors' home record needs to improve, as they have now lost ten matches at the Brewery Field this season, three of them by a four goal margin or worse.

So Lee has signed defender Michael Gough from Jarrow Roofing - he was with Horden earlier in the season - full back Paul Talbot from Queen of the South, and midfielder Simon Colligan from Wearside League club Wolviston.

Also, Hartlepool United boss Neale Cooper has agreed that Mark Robinson can stay at the Brewery Field for another month.

Meanwhile, Moors have provisionally arranged their Durham Challenge Cup semi-final with Billingham Town for Tuesday, February 3, but if Town are involved in the FA Vase, then it could be played a week later.

Bishop Auckland manager Brian Honour is delighted with the team's haul of six points from their last two away games.

Bishops' promotion hopes have been revived by their victories at Gateshead and Matlock, two teams high in the table, and Honour said: "It just goes to show that the team is capable of beating anybody in this league. Two away wins on the bounce was fantastic.

"We have now got some home games coming up in which we can improve our position. We've got Chorley and Witton Albion coming to our place in the league, and if we win those, we'll be in the top ten."

Bishops are currently 12th in the table, and the season looks as if it is far from over.

After winning their league cup tie with Prescot on Wednesday night, they now have three successive home games as they have Burscough arriving a week on Saturday in the League Cup quarter final. However, the game is clashing with Shildon's Northern League game with Marske United on the same day.

Bishops played some good football in the second half against Prescot. Steve Salvin put them in the lead with a shot on the turn from the edge of the area after 20 minutes, then new signing Gary Shields from Chester-le-Street kept cool when he ran clear and slotted the ball past the advancing keeper for the second after 67 minutes. Salvin fired a third after 80 minutes, then Stuart Irvine scored from the spot with seven minutes left, his 17th goal of the season.

Meanwhile, Bishops have written to Sunderland in the wake of the fiasco of their Durham Challenge Cup tie last week, asking for a friendly or some sort of gesture as recompense for the loss of gate receipts. Durham FA are still to discuss the matter.

Bishops have re-arranged their home game with Bamber Bridge for Friday, February 20.

Whitby Town have hit a snag in their plans to build a new stand at the Turnbull Ground.

After being given the backing of two councils in principle, the council has received one objection, and that has delayed progress by at least a month.

The club has raised £45,000 towards the project, with the rest coming in grants.

After being handed an away trip to Hucknall in a re-arranged league game on March 2, Whitby have now been told that they must travel to Marine in another re-arranged game on March 30.

The draw for the Durham Challenge Cup was made last Saturday, and came out exactly as some websites had predicted. The draw is: Jarrow Roofing v Bishop Auckland, Spennymoor v Billingham Town.

Ties to be played by February 10.

Gateshead have announced VERITAS Software as shirt sponsor.

Derek Bell, Gateshead's director of football said: "We have a new vision at Gateshead to give the people of the town their own team of which they can be proud.

"The support of a company with the pedigree of VERITAS Software demonstrates to everybody that we are able to realise this vision."

Gateshead's Vision 2004-06 outlines the club's development plans and aims, up to the end of the football season in 2006.